News & Resources News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 9, 2020
EL PASO, Texas - On Thursday, April 2, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso officials announced a $50,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation that will provide a safety net for nursing students facing financial challenges and unforeseen circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wells Fargo’s generous grant will help students attending TTUHSC El Paso’s Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing achieve their dreams of graduating and entering the workforce as soon as possible.
TTUHSC El Paso will leverage the funds from Wells Fargo to support Hunt School of Nursing students through partnerships with Project ARRIBA and Workforce Solutions Borderplex.
“It’s important in times of community need that we all work together,” said Ryan McGrath, Wells Fargo Commercial Banking Market Executive. “We’re grateful for the leadership of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and its ability to act quickly in caring for our local residents. We hope our support provides a measure of relief as we stand with the community during this challenging situation.”
The fund will help students whose part-time jobs may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some nursing students rely on part-time jobs or have family members that face the possibility of having their hours reduced or being laid off or furloughed. Many nursing students remain on the frontlines working in clinical rotations in hospitals but also are without daycare options for their children. The goal of the fund is to keep students on track for graduating this May or December and entering the nursing field, where they are desperately needed.
Project ARRIBA is a community nonprofit that helps economically disadvantaged individuals gain the education, job skills and financial literacy needed for demand occupations that pay a family-sustaining, living wage in El Paso. Since 2018, Project ARRIBA has partnered with Hunt School of Nursing and with funding from Workforce Solutions Borderplex provides students with invaluable, individualized and comprehensive case management and wrap-around support services.
A major supporter of Project ARRIBA and Workforce Solutions Borderplex, Wells Fargo has funded several programs in coordination with these two workforce and economic development organizations to advance the Hunt School of Nursing’s mission of preparing students to meet the challenges of today’s complex health care environment.
“Having access to these funds is so valuable to the students and to us,” said Stephanie Woods, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the Hunt School of Nursing. “It allows us to extend them a lifeline so that they do not get derailed in their plans to graduate.”
Generous grants from community partners like Wells Fargo help increase the percentage of students who graduate on time, easing the shortage of nursing professionals in the Paso del Norte region, especially during these unprecedented times.
To support TTUHSC El Paso students impacted by COVID 19, the Student Frontline Emergency Fund has been set up and contributions can be made at: https://donate.give2tech.com/?fid=IA000678
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Berenice Zubia at 915-253-9399 or news.ep@ttuhsc.edu
Veronique Masterson at 915-433-7407 or news.ep@ttuhsc.edu